MacRumors

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through some of the key aspects rumored for watchOS 10's substantial UI redesign.

Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that watchOS 10 will introduce an all-new system of widgets for interacting with the Apple Watch. He explained that widgets will become a "central part" of the Apple Watch's interface and compared the new system to Glances, the widgets interface that launched on the original Apple Watch before being scrapped in watchOS 3, and the style of widgets that iOS 14 brought to the iPhone.

Apple is also apparently testing changes to the functions performed by the Apple Watch's buttons. For example, a press of the Digital Crown may now launch the new widgets view, rather than navigate to the home screen.

The new interface will apparently be "reminiscent" of the ‌Siri‌ watch face that was introduced in watchOS 4, but as an overlay for any Apple Watch face. "It's also similar to widget stacks, a feature in iOS and iPadOS that lets users pile many widgets into one and scroll through them," Gurman added.

There are also rumors about watchOS 10 introducing a new home screen layout that takes cues from iOS with features like app folders. The changes are part of what is expected to be one of the Apple Watch's biggest software updates since its introduction and the most significant change to the Apple Watch this year, as only minor hardware updates are expected to be unveiled later this year.

We consider how this new UI could take shape and how we feel about the proposed changes, reflecting on Glances, watchOS 4's ‌Siri‌ watch face, past changes to the Apple Watch's buttons, and the future of apps on the device.

We also discuss some of the latest Apple news, including the expansion of AirTag-like tracking alerts to third-party devices, iOS 17's rumored Wallet and Health app redesigns, and the delay of the microLED Apple Watch Ultra to 2025.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about all of the top features and improvements we'd like to see come to tvOS 17, the HomePod, and HomeKit at WWDC later this year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Andru Edwards, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

Apple today announced it will stream Ed Sheeran's live performance of his latest album "Subtract" at the Eventim Apollo theater in London. Apple Music and Apple TV+ subscribers will be able to watch the concert at no additional cost on Wednesday, May 10 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and an on-demand stream will be available starting an hour later.

Sheeran will kick off the second season of Apple Music Live, a series of live performances by music artists on Apple Music, and also on Apple TV+ for the first time. Behind-the-scenes footage and a setlist will be available in the Shazam app after the show.

The first season of Apple Music Live began in May 2022 and featured performances by Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Alicia Keys, Wizkid, Luke Combs, and others. Apple has yet to announce additional performers for the second season.

Apple Music and Apple TV+ cost $10.99 and $6.99 per month, respectively, for a standard individual subscription in the United States. First-time users can try Apple Music with a free one-month trial, while Apple TV+ offers a free seven-day trial.

This week we began tracking the best Apple-related Mother's Day deals as the holiday gets nearer on Sunday, May 14. In addition to these deals, you'll want to keep an eye on our exclusive promo code at OWC, which is providing a total of 45 percent off Atlas memory cards through this Sunday.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

OWC Memory Cards

• What's the deal? Take 45 percent off Atlas memory cards
• Where can I get it? OWC
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

This week we partnered with OWC to share discounts on the retailer's Atlas brand of memory cards, providing a solid 45 percent off these accessories. To get this deal, enter the code MACRUMORS at checkout when purchasing any Atlas-branded memory card from this page. You can find more information on the sale in our original post, and we've listed a few examples of memory cards on sale below.

OWC Atlas Pro SD V60 Memory Cards

• 64GB - $15.39, down from $27.99
• 128GB - $27.49, down from $49.99
• 256GB - $49.49, down from $89.99
• 512GB - $87.99, down from $159.99
• 1TB - $158.39, down from $287.99

OWC Atlas Ultra SD V90 Memory Cards

• 64GB - $41.24, down from $74.99
• 128GB - $76.99, down from $139.99
• 256GB - $142.99, down from $259.99
• 512GB - $274.99, down from $499.99

Additionally, OWC is also hosting a Thunderbolt dock sale right now, with up to $50 off select docks. One of the highlights of the sale is the 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock for $229.99, which is $50 in savings.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is getting closer, taking place on Sunday, May 14 this year, and coinciding with the holiday are a few deal events at places like ZAGG, AT&T, Belkin, Hyper, Casely, and more. You can check out our original post on Mother's Day deals, most of which are still live, as well as browse our quick list of the best sales below.

• ZAGG - Save 20% off sitewide
• AT&T - Save up to $1,000 on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
• Belkin - Save up to 20% off select accessories
• Casely - BOGO free iPhone cases
• Hyper - Save up to 50% off select accessories

MacBook Pro

• What's the deal? Take up to $800 off 2021 MacBook Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

One of the biggest discounts of the week can be found on the previous generation MacBook Pro, with Amazon providing a massive $800 discount on one model. You can get the 16-inch MacBook (10-Core M1 Max, 1TB) for $2,699.00, down from $3,499.00, which is a new all-time low price on this notebook.

In addition, there's $600 off the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) at B&H Photo and $500 off the 14-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) at Amazon, which are matching record low prices for the 2021 MacBook Pro.

iPad

• What's the deal? Take up to $170 off iPad mini 6 and 2021 iPad
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Earlier in the week we saw solid discounts on Apple's iPad mini 6 and 2021 iPad, including up to $170 in savings on these tablets. Prices on the iPad mini 6 start at $399.99 ($99 off) and at $269.99 for the iPad ($59 off), and also include a few other Wi-Fi and cellular options. Additionally, there's an all-time low price on the Apple Pencil 2 ($89.00) at Amazon still available.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

In a shareholder letter today, Apple supplier Cirrus Logic seemingly confirmed that iPhone 15 Pro models will no longer feature solid-state buttons.

"That said, among the HPMS opportunities we have discussed, a new product that we mentioned in previous shareholder letters as being scheduled for introduction this fall is no longer expected to come to market as planned," the letter states. "As we have limited visibility into our customer's future plans for this product at this time, we are removing the revenue associated with this component from our internal model."

Cirrus Logic's high-performance, mixed-signal ("HPMS") segment includes haptic drivers for the Taptic Engine in iPhones. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPhone 15 Pro models would have been equipped with two additional Taptic Engines that provided haptic feedback when the solid-state buttons were pressed, and Cirrus Logic hinted that it would have supplied related components for the devices in a previous shareholder letter.

"We continue to engage with a strategic customer and expect to bring a new HPMS component to market in smartphones next year," the supplier said last year.

Apple is Cirrus Logic's largest customer and accounted for 79% of its revenue in the 2022 fiscal year. In an investor note today, Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O'Malley said the supplier's comments today likely rule out solid-state buttons.

Last month, Kuo said iPhone 15 Pro models would no longer have solid-state buttons as initially rumored due to "unresolved technical issues before mass production." He now expects the devices to have traditional buttons that move when pressed. Rumors suggest the Ring/Silent switch will still be be replaced with a button as previously claimed, and this button could be customizable like the Action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple analyst Jeff Pu believes the solid-state buttons will likely be pushed back to iPhone 16 Pro models launching next year, but Cirrus Logic's comments today suggest it has limited knowledge of Apple's future plans at this time.

Apple CEO Tim Cook today provided some commentary surrounding artificial intelligence amid the surging popularity of ChatGPT and other chatbots.

Speaking on Apple's quarterly earnings call today, Cook said artificial intelligence's potential is "very interesting," but noted that there are a "number of issues that need to be sorted" out with the technology and that it is "very important to be deliberate and thoughtful" in regards to how artificial intelligence is used.

Cook said Apple has already integrated artificial intelligence and machine learning across several of its products and services, pointing out features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and the ECG app on the Apple Watch. He added that Apple will continue to weave artificial intelligence into its products on a "very thoughtful basis."

The New York Times in March reported that excitement surrounding chatbots demonstrates how Siri and other traditional voice assistants have "squandered their lead in the A.I. race," as Siri's functionality remains far more limited than chatbots despite launching over a decade ago. The Information last month reported that Apple employees "widely criticize Siri for its shortcomings" and have proposed large language model improvements that they hope will be ready to launch in an iOS version released next year.

Apple today began selling the HomePod mini and the second-generation HomePod in Denmark, after launching the speakers in Singapore last month.

Apple first released the HomePod mini in October 2020 in the U.S. and select other countries, and the speaker and has not received any major hardware upgrades since, but new color options launched in November 2021 and the speaker's temperature and humidity sensor was enabled earlier this year. The launch of the HomePod mini in Denmark today likely rules out a second-generation model of the speaker launching in the near future.

Apple had discontinued the full-size HomePod in 2021, but the company introduced a second-generation model in January. The new HomePod features a similar design as the original smart speaker, with a larger backlit touch surface and a few other improvements. Despite having two fewer tweeters, reviews found the new HomePod sounds virtually the same as the original, but Siri still has shortcomings compared to other virtual assistants.

(Thanks, Kasper!)

Apple CEO Tim Cook today said he still views mass layoffs as a "last resort," and ensured this is not something the company is considering right now.

"I view that as a last resort and, so, mass layoffs is not something that we're talking about at this moment," said Cook, in an interview with CNBC.

Major tech companies like Google and Facebook parent Meta have laid off tens of thousands of employees in recent months amid economic uncertainty, after aggressively hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple has not made any mass layoffs of full-time employees, but the company has reportedly laid off some corporate employees within its retail teams, let go of some contracted recruiters, and stopped hiring for some roles.

In a regulatory filing last year, Apple said it had approximately 164,000 full-time equivalent employees as of September 24, 2022.

Apple today announced financial results for its second fiscal quarter of 2023, which corresponds to the first calendar quarter of the year.

For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $94.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $24.1 billion, or $1.52 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $97.3 billion and net quarterly profit of $25.0 billion, or $1.52 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Apple set a new all-time record for Services revenue at $20.9 billion and a new March quarter record for iPhone revenue at $51.3 billion, but the Mac in particular saw a significant year-over-year decline in quarterly revenue, falling from $10.4 billion to $7.2 billion.

Gross margin for the quarter was 44.3 percent, compared to 43.7 percent in the year-ago quarter. Apple's board of directors also authorized an additional $90 billion for share repurchases and declared an increased dividend payment of $0.24 per share, up from $0.23 per share. The dividend is payable May 18 to shareholders of record as of May 15.

"We are pleased to report an all-time record in Services and a March quarter record for iPhone despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, and to have our installed base of active devices reach an all-time high," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We continue to invest for the long term and lead with our values, including making major progress toward building carbon neutral products and supply chains by 2030."

As has been the case for three years now, Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in June.

Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q2 2023 financial results conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference call recap ahead...

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Last year, the EU passed legislation that will require the iPhone and many other devices with wired charging to be equipped with a USB-C port in order to be sold in the region. Apple has until December 28, 2024 to adhere to the law, but the switch from Lightning to USB-C is expected to happen with iPhone 15 models later this year.

It was rumored in February that Apple may be planning to limit charging speeds and other functionality of USB-C cables that are not certified under its "Made for iPhone" program. Like the Lightning port on existing iPhones, a small chip inside the USB-C port on iPhone 15 models would confirm the authenticity of the USB-C cable connected.

"I believe Apple will optimize the fast charging performance of MFi-certified chargers for the iPhone 15," Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March.

In response to this rumor, European Commissioner Thierry Breton has sent Apple a letter warning the company that limiting the functionality of USB-C cables would not be permitted and would prevent iPhones from being sold in the EU when the law goes into effect, according to German newspaper Die Zeit. The letter was obtained by German press agency DPA, and the report says the EU also warned Apple during a meeting in mid-March.

Given that it has until the end of 2024 to adhere to the law, Apple could still move forward with including an authentication chip in the USB-C port on iPhone 15 models later this year. And with iPhone 16 models expected to launch in September 2024, even those devices would be on the market before the law goes into effect.

The report says the EU intends to publish a guide to ensure a "uniform interpretation" of the legislation by the third quarter of this year.

It is worth emphasizing that Apple potentially limiting the functionality of uncertified USB-C cables connected to iPhone 15 models is only a rumor for now, so it remains to be seen whether or not the company actually moves forward with the alleged plans. iPads with USB-C ports do not have an authentication chip for this purpose.

(Thanks, Manfred!)

Apple's supply chain has started stockpiling the rumored 15-inch MacBook Air, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. The report says the laptop is expected to be announced at Apple's annual developer conference WWDC, which begins June 5.

Despite the upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air launch, the sources believe that overall MacBook shipments will likely face a single-digit decrease in 2023 due to a "disappointing" first half of the year. The sources also said "pull-in momentum" for the 15-inch MacBook Air "has not been as strong compared with previous new products."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the 15-inch MacBook Air to debut at WWDC. Like the 13-inch MacBook Air, the 15-inch model will be powered by the M2 chip with multiple GPU configurations, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

No design changes have been rumored for the 15-inch MacBook Air beyond its larger display size. The 13-inch model is equipped with a notch housing a 1080p camera, a MagSafe 3 charging port, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a scissor switch keyboard with a Touch ID button, and a Force Touch trackpad.

The sources believe MacBook shipments could recover in the second half of 2023 if new MacBooks with 3nm chips are released, but Apple's chipmaker TSMC has reportedly faced 3nm yield issues, so it's unclear when Apple's M3 chip will debut.

Apple today announced that 20 new games are launching on its Apple Arcade gaming subscription service.

The announcement comes alongside a new ad for the subscription service that features some of the new titles and many of the most popular games on the platform. In Apple's press release, Apple Arcade senior director Alex Rofman said:

Apple Arcade brings together hundreds of fun titles in one gaming destination for our users to discover and enjoy. Today's launch boosts our award-winning catalog with 20 new games people will love playing and sharing with their friends and families.

The new games today joining ‌Apple Arcade‌ include:

• TMNT Splintered Fate (Paramount Global)
• Disney SpellStruck (Artist Arcade)
• WHAT THE CAR? (Triband)
• Cityscapes: Sim Builder (Magic Fuel Games)
• Chess Universe+ (Tilting Point)
• Disney Coloring World+ (StoryToys)
• Disney Getaway Blast+ (Gameloft)
• Farming Simulator 20+ (GIANTS Software)
• Getting Over It+ (Bennett Foddy)
• Hill Climb Racing+ (Fingersoft)
• Iron Marines+ (Ironhide Game Studio)
• Kingdom Two Crowns+ (Raw Fury)
• Playdead’s LIMBO+ (Playdead)
• My Town Home - Family Games+ (My Town Games LTD)
• Octodad: Dadliest Catch+ (Young Horses)
• PPKP+ (SHIMADA TOSHIHIRO)
• Snake.io+ (Kooapps)
• Temple Run+ (Imangi Studios)
• Time Locker+ (Sotaro Otsuka)
• Very Little Nightmares+ (Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Games like WHAT THE CAR?, TMNT Splintered Fate, Disney SpellStruck, and Cityscapes: Sim Builder are exclusive to ‌Apple Arcade‌, while titles like Temple Run+, Playdead's LIMBO+, and PPKP+ bring popular App Store classics to the subscription service for the first time.

Last year, Apple added more than 50 games to the ‌Apple Arcade‌ catalog and over 300 updates were released for games already on the paltform. Later this month, major updates are set to come to Jetpack Joyride 2, Angry Birds Reloaded, SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat, LEGO Star Wars: Castaways, Asphalt 8: Airborne+, Cut the Rope Remastered, My Little Pony: Mane Merge, and more.

Apple today increased trade-in values for a limited number of older iPhone models in the United States in an effort to encourage customers to upgrade to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup.

Trade-in values have gone up for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, and ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro, although older ‌iPhone‌ mini models have gone down in value. The latest trade-in values are listed below.

iPhone

• ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max: Up to $630 (vs. $600)
• ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro: Up to $530 (vs. $500)
• ‌iPhone‌ 13: Up to $400 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini: Up to $330 (vs. $350)
• ‌iPhone‌ SE (3rd generation): Up to $160 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌: Up to $440 (vs. $420)
• ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro: Up to $350 (vs. $330)
• ‌iPhone‌ 12: Up to $300 (No Change)
• iPhone 12 mini: Up to $220 (vs. $250)
• ‌iPhone‌ SE (2nd generation): Up to $90 (vs. $100)
• iPhone 11 Pro Max: Up to $280 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro: Up to $240 (vs. $230)
• ‌iPhone‌ 11: Up to $200 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ XS Max: Up to $200 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ XS: Up to $160 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ XR: Up to $150 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ X: Up to $130 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ 8 Plus: Up to $100 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ 8: Up to $75 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ 7 Plus: Up to $60 (No Change)
• ‌iPhone‌ 7: Up to $40 (No Change)

There have also been some mixed adjustments to iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch trade-in values, with iPads and Apple Watches faring best.

iPad

• iPad Pro: Up to $470 (vs. $445)
• iPad Air: Up to $320 (No Change)
• ‌iPad‌: Up to $175 (vs. $165)
• iPad mini: Up to $250 (vs. $240)

Mac

• MacBook Pro: Up to $775 (vs. $730)
• MacBook Air: Up to $450 (vs. $515)
• MacBook: Up to $125 (No Change)
• iMac Pro: Up to $575 (No Change)
• ‌iMac‌: Up to $510 (vs. $570)
• Mac Pro: Up to $1,250 (No Change)
• Mac mini: Up to $405 (vs. $375)

Apple Watch

• Apple Watch Series 7: Up to $165 (No Change)
• Apple Watch Series 6: Up to $110 (vs. $105)
• Apple Watch SE: Up to $80 (vs. $70)
• Apple Watch Series 5: Up to $85 (vs. $80)
• Apple Watch Series 4: Up to $55 (vs. $50)

The full list of trade-in values, including those for Android smartphones, can be found on Apple's trade-in website.

Apple today posted a new support document outlining the security content of AirPods and Beats firmware updates, disclosing that the 5B66 firmware released yesterday for Beats Fit Pro and Powerbeats Pro addresses a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to gain access to your headphones.

Available for: Powerbeats Pro, Beats Fit Pro

Impact: When your headphones are seeking a connection request to one of your previously paired devices, an attacker in Bluetooth range might be able to spoof the intended source device and gain access to your headphones.

Description: An authentication issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2023-27964: Yun-hao Chung and Archie Pusaka of Google ChromeOS

The issue also affected all AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max models with the exception of the first-generation AirPods, but Apple fixed the issue for those products with the 5E133 firmware update released last month.

Apple subsequently released another firmware update (5E135) for these models yesterday, but it's unclear what changes were included beyond unspecified bug fixes and other improvements.

AirPods and Beats models will automatically update their firmware if they are paired with an iOS device or Mac and are charging while within Bluetooth range of your device. Android users can update their Beats firmware using the Beats app for that platform.

Employees at the unionized Towson, Maryland Apple Store are this week negotiating with Apple for new benefits, and have asked for higher pay, tips, and changes to leave policies, reports Bloomberg.

Employee representatives have requested raises of up to 10 percent and they want Apple to implement a tipping system that would provide customers with the option to offer 3%, 5%, or custom tips when checking out with an in-store credit card transaction. "This will allow thankful patrons the ability to express gratitude for a job well done without any obligations," the union said. Tip money would be split among employees based on hours worked.

The union is requesting double pay for employees who work more than eight hours per day or 40 hours a week, along with more pay for employees working overtime on weekends. Employees also want higher pay over a larger number of holidays, a $1 an hour increase for workers who become first-aid certified, up to 34 weeks of severance pay for layoffs, extended paid bereavement leave up to 45 days per year, with pets and close friends to be included under the allowed time off, and expanded vacation pay.

The union said that "these are initial proposals" and that it realizes that this "is a negotiation." Apple's Towson, Maryland store unionized last summer, and it is one of two unionized retail locations.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple is partnering with Nike this month to give Apple Card users six percent Daily Cash back on purchases, up from the typical three percent cash back offer. The deal is available through the end of May, and customers can get the higher cash back percentage on up to $500 in goods.

The additional cash back is available when using the ‌Apple Card‌ to make purchases from the Nike website, U.S. Nike stores, or the Nike app, and Apple Pay is required. A Nike customer who spends $500 with ‌Apple Pay‌ and the ‌Apple Card‌ will receive $30 in total, and after that, the Daily Cash back total drops back down to three percent.

Customers who open a new ‌Apple Card‌ account by 5/31 and spend $75 or more at Nike within the first 30 days of having the card will be able to get $75 cash back.

Apple partners with a number of vendors to offer three percent Daily Cash back on ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases made with ‌Apple Card‌. Companies that support the extra cash back include Ace, T-Mobile, Nike, Uber Eats, Uber, Panera, Walgreens, Exxon Mobil, and of course, Apple's own retail stores. Standard ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases earn two percent cash back, and all other purchases earn one percent.

Daily Cash can be transferred to a bank account, used for Apple Cash purchases, or deposited into the new ‌Apple Card‌ Savings account that came out in April.

The ‌Apple Card‌ continues to be limited to customers in the United States.

Ford CEO Jim Farley said that Ford has no plans to drop support for CarPlay due to its popularity with Ford customers. He made the comment in an interview with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern.

"70 percent of our Ford customers in the U.S. are Apple customers. Why would I go to an Apple customer and say good luck?" he said.

Farley was commenting on car manufacturers that do not support ‌CarPlay‌, like Tesla and General Motors. Tesla has never added ‌CarPlay‌ support into its vehicles, and GM earlier this year announced plans to phase out support for both ‌CarPlay‌ and Android Auto starting in 2023.

GM plans go with a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google as it transitions from combustion vehicles to electric vehicles. ‌CarPlay‌ will be available in non-electric models, but GM ultimately has plans to switch to an all-electric lineup by 2035.

iPhone users have been asking Tesla to support ‌CarPlay‌ for years, and unsurprisingly, GM's announcement has not been particularly popular with those who are in the Apple ecosystem. By removing control of the infotainment system from Apple, GM and Tesla have access to more data about their customers, and can also push vehicle-related digital subscription services.

Farley doesn't think there's money to be made in the content that car owners consume in their vehicles, with Ford instead focusing on safety, security, autonomy, and productivity features.

In terms of content, we kind of lost that battle 10 years ago. So like get real with it, because you're not going to make a ton of money on content inside the vehicle. It's gonna be safety, security, partial autonomy, and productivity in our eyes. So that relationship for content is between you, The Wall Street Journal, and the customer. I don't want to get in the middle of that, but Tesla and other companies believe differently. They want to have complete control over the interior experience.

Having a familiar navigation and infotainment system in the car is appealing to customers who don't want to have to transition between two incompatible software setups, so GM's decision to drop support for ‌CarPlay‌ and Android Auto will be off-putting to those who have become used to the way that in-car solutions from Apple and Google extend the smartphone experience to the vehicle. No ‌CarPlay‌ will be a dealbreaker for some customers, so it will be interesting to see how GM's transition affects future vehicle sales.

Starting in 2023, Apple plans to roll out a next-generation CarPlay experience that will offer even deeper integration into new vehicles for manufacturers who choose to continue to offer ‌CarPlay‌ as an option.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 during its WWDC 2023 keynote on June 5, which is just over a month away. Ahead of time, rumors suggest the update will include at least eight new features and changes for iPhones, as outlined below.

The first iOS 17 beta should be made available to members of Apple's Developer Program moments after the keynote, while a public beta will likely be available in July for members of Apple's Beta Software Program. As usual, the update should be widely released in September, around the time that new iPhones launch.

Some of the features and changes listed below might not be added until later iOS 17 versions, such as iOS 17.1 or iOS 17.2.

iMessage Contact Key Verification

In December, Apple previewed a new iMessage Contact Key Verification security feature and said it would launch globally in 2023. This timeframe means the feature would be available in iOS 17, although it could launch earlier.

iMessage Contact Key Verification allows users who face "extraordinary digital threats," such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials, to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend. In conversations between users who have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification, users are alerted if a state-sponsored attacker or other malicious actor were ever to succeed breaching cloud servers and inserting their own device to eavesdrop on the conversation.

As an additional layer of security, iMessage Contact Key Verification users can compare a Contact Verification Code in person, on FaceTime, or through another secure call to further verify they are communicating only with whom they intend.

Control Center Revamp

iOS 17 will feature a revamped Control Center, according to @analyst941, a source who accurately leaked some details about the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island before the device launched last year. The source said Control Center will be more customizable, and the flashlight brightness slider might become freely adjustable up or down, whereas it is currently limited to four preset brightness levels.

Wallet App Revamp

iOS 17 will include improvements to the Wallet app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The leaker @analyst941 claimed the Wallet app will be redesigned with tabs and search functionality, as shown in the mockup above.

A revamp for Wallet could make sense as new features continue to be added to the app, including Apple Pay Later and Apple Card Savings.

Next-Generation CarPlay

At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, which will feature support for multiple displays, widgets, and integration with vehicle functions like the instrument cluster, climate controls, and FM radio.

Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others. Apple said it would share additional details about the next generation of CarPlay later this year, and this timeframe suggests it will be an iOS 17 feature.

Journal App

Apple is developing a journaling app for the iPhone that would compete with the likes of Day One, according to The Wall Street Journal. It's unclear when the app will be released, but it could be introduced alongside iOS 17 if ready.

App Sideloading in EU

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last year reported that Apple was preparing to allow app sideloading on the iPhone in order to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act. This would allow users to install apps outside of Apple's App Store, but the change is only expected to be made in European Union countries, at least initially.

Gurman said Apple has aimed to have the sideloading functionality ready as part of an "update to iOS 17," such as iOS 17.1 or later.

Mood Tracking

iOS 17 will include new tools for tracking emotion and managing vision conditions in the Health app on the iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He also expects the Health app to launch on the iPad this year.

Unwanted Tracking Alerts Expansion

Apple and Google recently submitted a proposed industry specification to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth item trackers for unwanted tracking of individuals. As part of this initiative, Apple plans to expand AirTag-like unwanted tracking alerts to third-party item trackers in a future version of iOS. Tile, Chipolo, Samsung, Eufy, and Pebblebee have expressed support for the draft specification, according to Apple.

Apple plans to release a "production implementation" of the specification by the end of 2023 that will then be supported in a future version of iOS. Based on this timeframe, unwanted tracking alerts will likely be expanded in a later version of iOS 17.